A proposal that would allow Wayside Cross Ministries to expand its Berkley Street location so it can add transitional housing and PADS of Elgin can offer more beds won Elgin Planning and Zoning Commission support Monday.
Wayside owns the buildings 1730-1749 Berkley St., one of which is occupied by PADS, and will be enlarging its operations into space there currently occupied by two businesses planning to leave by year’s end.
If approved by the Elgin City Council, total occupancy for both its shelter and PADS’ will nearly double to 118 people, officials said.
Wayside originally planned to set up a transitional housing operation by purchasing the former Nationwide Loans building at 890 N. State St. — a plan that won council approval in December — but the deal fell through, Elgin Senior Planner Damir Latinovic told the commission.
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“Once we knew our two additional tenants at the end of the building were going to vacate, it provided an opportunity for us,” Wayside Center Director Dave Krieger said.
PADS provides overnight shelter for up to 30 people, Latinovic said. Wayside operates a daytime shelter for up to 30 guests, he said.
“Wayside and PADS are now proposing to expand their services from 60 to 118 persons and to expand and occupy the entire 21,176-square-foot building,” Latinovic said.
To move forward, Wayside needs a conditional use permit from the city
The 1.17-acre property is within a district zoned for general industrial use, which allows for an emergency shelter but does not cover transitional housing or a proposed playground. It also requires a parking variance, Latinovic said.
To accomodate the plan, three loading docks would be removed and a 1,500-square-foot addition to the rear for Wayside and a 600-square-foot addition to the front for PADS are needed, he said.
Wayside’s transitional housing is modeled after its Aurora facility, providing dorm-style residential housing, a commercial kitchen, dining rooms, and space for programs like life skills, job training, counseling and spiritual support, according to the petition.
PADS currently occupies two units at the front of the building, totaling about 8,000 square feet, Latinovic said. The additional space would provide room for another 48 guests as well as add daytime hours for guests to use the showers and laundry facilities and to have access to programs.
Wayside works hand in hand with PADS, Krieger said.
PADS has a five-year lease with Wayside, said Steve Wise, Wayside’s general manager. The intent is to keep PADS as a tenant, he said.
However, Wayside is a Christian-based organization that has certain requirements for guests, Krieger said.
“We like to call it a life transformation program. We have guys there with all sorts of problems,” he said. Wayside has a five-step program for men at the Elgin location, and women and children are referred to the Aurora location, where there are specific services for them, he said.
Elgin Wayside has a 66% occupancy rate for its 30 beds, Krieger said, but staff is seeing an increase in the number of people needing assistance.
“That’s why we are looking at this opportunity to expand,” he said.
Both additions will help address the area’s homelessness situation, officials said.
PADS Executive Director Katie Shaw Thompson said at a recent public meeting that there is a 300,000 shortage of low-income rentals in the area, with the vacancy rental rate at 1% in Kane County. Last year, more than 1,700 people experienced homelessness in Kane County, she said.
“I’m thrilled you are continuing with the venture,” Commissioner Karin Jones said at Monday’s meeting. “I hope it comes to fruition for you guys because it’s really, really needed in the city of Elgin.”
Gloria Casas is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.